Augusta Transit could expand bus routes with new electric buses

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – New electric buses are coming to Augusta.

The transit received $12 million for six new clean-energy battery electric buses, charging equipment and even a bus simulator to train the drivers.

The old diesel bus fleet may be heading back to the garage. The Augusta Transit is making a change and going green.

Mary Farrer has been riding Augusta Transit for years. She plans her day around the bus.

“I have to get up early and try to get there in time and call the bus line and find out what’s going on with the buses and everything at least an hour ahead of time,” she said.

It takes that kind of planning, and she’s not the only one.

Deputy Director of Augusta Transit Dr. Oliver Page said: “Everyone is asking why we don’t have more buses on the road, one bus every 30 minutes. But to have that, we have to have more physical buses.”

And that’s about to happen.

Page says they’re going green too.

“We are responsive to our riders’ needs. The $12 million grant will be going to purchase six buses, a bus simulator, as well as having some additional charging points outside and workforce development,” said Page.

Augusta Transit has been adding buses — six diesel buses were delivered last year. The five electric buses will arrive next year, but it’s not happening often enough.

“We haven’t been replacing buses, like once every two years. The last batch of buses we received was in 2023. Before that, it was 2016. So, with these gaps in bus replenishment, that’s why we have buses on the road past their useful life,” said Page.

Compared to other cities, Augusta has some ground to cover.

“When we look at places like Macon and Athens, they’re smaller cities than we are, they have bus fleet of 20, 25, 30 buses, we only have 18. So, we have to catch up,” said Page.

It means riders like Farrer won’t have quite as much planning to do.

2025 is when the first set of electric buses will arrive, and by 2027, six more will be here.

Page says once the old buses are replaced with new ones, you could see new routes coming to South Augusta and the Augusta Regional Airport.

Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.